Welcome to the TREE OF LIFE: Branching Out collaborative writing challenge, where creative minds meet epic movie music. To read the collective story in its entirety as it unfolds and for more details on this groundbreaking collaboration with Audiomachine click HERE.

Today’s featured guest writer is the witty, word wielding librarian, Sarah Wesson. Visit Sarah at Earful of Cider, where the caffeine gnomes demand tribute!

* Listen to the inspiring track from Audiomachine’s Tree of Life album featured in the sidebar music player

Inspiring Soundtrack: Audiomachine – Age of Innocence – Tree of Life

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The distant mountain grumbled again, and Zoe felt the vibrations. “What’s happening?” she asked, pressing a hand to her stomach.

Adam laughed. “We’re hungry, my love.” He sprang to his feet and helped her to hers. “Come on.”

Hand in hand, they walked in beauty under the dawn streaked sky, uncaring that they were naked.

They came to a place where tangles of wild grapevines wound around heavy-laden berry bushes. They ate until their lips were stained red from sweet fruits and their breath was savory from vegetables pulled from the rich earth.

Deeper they wandered into the garden, and deeper, until the ground rose and they found themselves on a path leading to two white rocks.

The Unicorn landed before them, its horn catching the sun and flashing with sudden fire–but they were unafraid. Adam’s voice and Zoe’s touch gentled their friend and its horn cooled as it bowed its head and withdrew.

A shining coil lifted its head from a boulder, the slitted eyes brimming with broken pride and aching sorrow.

Zoe’s heart broke open, and she reached out. It wound itself around her arm and seemed to take comfort from the scent of her skin on its flicking tongue.

Adam drew her to him and they passed between the rocks.

A tree of familiar and wondrous beauty stood before them, a single, glowing fruit hanging from the lowest of its branches.

The serpent hid its head in the crook of Zoe’s arm.

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© 2013  Sarah Wesson

ATTENTION FANS: You can WIN an autographed TREE OF LIFE Audiomachine album by LEAVING COMMENTS! On August 17th, two lucky readers will be chosen at random from the comments section of the story excerpts. The more you comment–the better your chances are of winning a piece of cinematic history! We want to hear from YOU!

TREE OF LIFE is available NOW! Click on the following links:

Purchase a CD from CD Baby
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Stream it on Spotify      Download it from Amazon       Purchase a CD from Amazon